The Valley of Flowers trek is a breathtaking journey nestled in the Indian Himalayas. This UNESCO World Heritage Site captivates with its vibrant meadows adorned with a kaleidoscope of alpine flowers. Trekking through this enchanting valley, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, reveals nature’s artistic palette, making it a paradise for nature enthusiasts.
Dehradun Airport, Uttarakhand
Dehradun Airport, Uttarakhand
Reach Govind Ghat; 11 hours drive from Rishikesh. Transport will be organised from Rishikesh Home stay at 6.00 am.
Time taken: 11 hours drive. Pick up from Home stay at Rishikesh at 6:00 AM.
The trek to Valley of Flowers (VOF) and Hemkund starts a little beyond Joshimath at a pilgrim hamlet called Govind Ghat. Leave Haridwar or Rishikesh early in the morning and travel along River Alakananda on the Badrinath highway. The roads are dangerously cut on mountains edges and at times, you only see the river flowing in the gorge deep below. The journey from Rishikesh to Joshimath takes about 10 hours.
Govind Ghat to Ghangria. Will start from Joshimath hotel by 4AM and reach Govind Ghat by 5:30AM. From there trekking starts
Altitude: 6,233 ft to 9,843 ft
Time taken: 7 hours, 13 km
Trek gradient: Easy – moderate. Gradual ascent throughout on a well- defined trail
Water sources: Carry sufficient water. You can refill your water bottles at any of the several dhabas that you will find on the trail.
Start the day’s trek by walking past the eateries and shops selling trinkets. Cross the bridge over Alakananda. The water below is sparkling blue and crystal clear. The trekking route starts immediately after the bridge.
The trail is well-defined. It is usually full of Sikh pilgrims walking up and down.
The 13 km trek from Govind Ghat to Ghangria goes all the way along the river. Stop by any roadside dabha for a drink or a bite to eat. The trail is alternately sunny and shady. At around the midpoint of the day’s trek, you cross the river and go to the other bank. After this, you no longer trek alongside the river.
The trek takes 6-7 hours and you approach a tabular land. This is when you know you are close to Ghangria. Ghangria has a helipad and some space for camping. Half a kilometer from the helipad is the one-street village of Ghangria, lined with hotels, restaurants, and a Gurudwara.
Ghangria to Valley of Flowers and back
Altitude: 9,843 ft to 11,483 ft and back
Time taken: 6 hours, 10 km
Trek gradient: Easy. Flat walk in the valley
Water sources: Carry 2 litres of water. You can refill your water bottles from streams that you will find in the Valley, after a couple of hours of trekking.
Leave Ghangria early (6 am) to give yourself the whole day to spend at Valley of Flowers. The trail splits in less than a kilometre and there is a gate to buy entry tickets to the valley. Walk inside and notice the small flowering plants springing up on either side.
A kilometre into the gate, there is a scenic bridge across a stream gushing below. Tall rocky mountains rise before you. Notice that the well-laid-out trail has now become a small footway along the si-de of the valley. The stream flows below you and there are small, hard snow patches by the side. On the trek inside Valley of Flowers, it’s most likely that you and your group will be the only ones around. This may come across as a big and welcome contrast to the previous day’s trek, where there were hundreds. The scenery has also taken a drastic turn for the better and any direction you turn to looks picture-perfect.
Trek along for a couple of kilometers on the flat path and to your right opens up the valley. Cross another rickety bridge and collect water to drink from below. The entire valley is generally a carpet of colours – green, yellow, red, blue. It is surrounded by mountains with trees at lower levels, brown and grey soil in the middle and bright snow at the top. A bright sunny day will ensure deep blue skies completing the picture and taking it beyond your imagination.
The valley is really a botanists’ dreamland! One can find flowers, leaves, buds of various shapes, sizes, colours, all growing together. Notice various types of bees and insects hovering on these strange flowers. Walk further into the valley and you will be engulfed with an amazing scent, which unfortunately cannot be captured but can only be felt. The valley stretches 5-7 km further, until it ends with a glacier visible at a distance. The stream flows all the way through the valley. Take off your shoes and dip your feet into it to experience the icy cold water.
Ghangria to Govind Ghat and from there to Joshimath
Altitude: 9,843 ft to 6,233 ft
Time taken: 5 hours, 13 km
Trek gradient: Easy descent to Govind Ghat on the same trail that you trekked on earlier.
Water sources: Carry sufficient water. You can refill your water bottles at the several dhabas that line the trail.
The trail back to Govind Ghat is on the same path that you took on Day 1.
Govind Ghat to Rishikesh. Drive down to Rishikesh.
Drop off to airport at 09:00AM
